Machine for closing filled bags under vacuum

ABSTRACT

A machine which includes supporting structure for a bag of flexible film material filled with products so that the top portion of the bag above the product is received through a recess in a guideplate to thereby hold the neck of the bag in position and prevent the film from interferring with the nozzle through which the vacuum is drawn. The supporting structure is adjustable to accommodate different sizes of bags and shapes of product and is tiltable to accommodate products which are slanted on their bottoms.

[111 3,822,525 July 9,1974

United States Patent Anderson, deceased et al.

[ MACHINE FOR CLOSING FILLED BAGS 3,401,499 9/1968 Jahnke..............................53/1128 3,714,754 2/l973 Holcombe et 53/112 B X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS UNDER VACUUM [75] Inventors: Benjamin M. Anderson, deceased 10/1963 Great Britain...................... 248/242 late of Aurora Primary ExaminerTravis S. McGehee Attorney, Agent, or FirmFrank T. Barber; Carl-C.

atz

[57] ABSTRACT I A machine which includes supporting structure for a bag of flexible film material 211 Appl. No.: 295,625

filled with products so ag above the product is 53/112 B [51] Int. B65b 31/04 53/112 B, 22 B; 248/125,

that the top portion of the b received through a recess in [58] Field of Search.........

a guideplate to thereby position and prevent the hold the; neck of the bag in film from interferring with the nozzle through which the vacuum is drawn. The supporting structure is adjustable to accommodate different sizes of bags and [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS c m e t r 00 u tb .m. u F g m n S .lm D. dm 4 n,a in mm m ua d C 0 E 8 h w OS 6 we m $0. B B 22 2 41 I2l //I./ 8 13 45.) 1 m Mam bn mm w e CmmC 5mm MFFB 6693 2556 9999 W UW, Q0855 9 00 2 9274 8379 5 ,3 I223.

mum-m w a? My? BACKGROUND As set forth in said patent application, a machine is provided having a nozzle which has an opening in the bottom thereof through which air is drawn and which is connected to a vacuum source. In the operation of the machine a flexible film bag having a top opening and containing product is placed in the machine with the open top of the bag extending about the nozzle. The top of the bag is gathered and held tightly to the exterior of the nozzle by clamping means so that air does not enter the bag from the top. A vacuum is drawn to evacuate the air from the bag thus drawing the film tightly about the product. Then a clipping device is 7 brought forward and the neck of the bag is clipped with a metal fastener and the top of the bag cut off above the clips so that the filled bag, now sealed at the top by the clip, may be removed from the machine.

A difficulty which has been experienced in the opera? tion of the machine above described is that the filled bags do not always assume a correct position when placed in the machine. In bagging such products as hams, for example, the shape is very irregular and in some cases the bottom of the filled bag is slanted so that if the operator releases his hold on the bag it will fall to one side. Also the products vary in sizes requiring bags of different lengths and a firm support is needed at different levels below the bottom of the nozzle depending on the size of the product and the bags in which it is being packed.

Another difficulty is that there is a tendency, when a strong vacuum isdrawn to pull film into the opening at the bottom of the nozzle which causes rupture of the film and ruins the packing operation. This difficulty seems to be experienced when the filled bag loses its position andfalls to one side or when for some reason the film does not gather evenly about the product below the nozzle or when through the force of the vacuum the bag and its contents are raised to bring the film on the top part of the bag against the bottom of the noz: zle.

Morespecifically, it is an object of this invention to provide structure which'will guide the film above the product contained in the bag, and which will gather the film more evenly at this point and which will prevent the raising of the product through force of the vacuum and so keep the film from the nozzle opening.

Further, it is a specific object of the invention to pro vide structure for providing effective support of the bag to more positively hold the bags and be easily adjustable to accommodate different size products and different size bags, also to permit tilting of the support so as to more positively support products having slanted bottoms. I

DETAILED DESCRIPTION One embodiment of the invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawings in which FIG. 1 is'a perspective view of the improved ma- I chine,

FIG. 2 is a detailed from view in elevation showing the attachment of the shelf to the back plate, the dotted lines showing the shelf and bracket when turned to a tilted position,

FIG. 3 is an elevational sectional view, the section being taken at line 3-3 of FIG. 2, and

FIG. 4 is a horizontal sectional view, the section being taken at line 4-4 of FIG. 3. I

Theimproved machine, as illustrated particularly in FIG. 1, embodies the general structure as shown in the patent application Ser. No. 265,239 above referred to, including a frame structure 10 having an arm 11 from which depends a nozzle A. The nozzle has an internal tube 12 which is connected to a source of vacuum and which has its end at the bottom of the nozzle so providing an opening through which air may be drawn to vacuumize the bags.

The nozzle A is cylindrical and at its lower end is provided with a skirt 13 which has a frustoconical surface.

A collar 14 extends about nozzle A and has a frustoconical inner surface 15 which, when the collar is moved downwardly, engages the skirt 13 of the nozzle. The collar is vertically slidable along the nozzle and may be moved by hand orthrough action of the lever 16.

At the front of the machine is a member l7-which may be considered a part of the frame structure 10. Member 17 provides a base to which the shelf 18 may be mounted. Also member 17 serves as an apron or vertical back plate against which the bag may rest when it is positioned for closing.

The shelf 18 is mounted on member 17 by .a structure which is more easily understood by reference to FIGS. 2-4. Member 17 hasa vertical slot 19. A rear piece 20 is on'the backside of member 17 and a front piece 21 is on the front side. Piece 21 has on its backside a ridge 22 which extends into slot 19 and is slidable therein. A bracket 23 has a horizontal portion 24 which is flat on the underside of shelf 18. and a vertical portion 25 which is flat against front piece 21. A pivot bolt 26 extends through an aperture in piece 21, through slot 19, and into a tapped hole-in the rearplate 20. A clamping bolt 27, having a knurled head, extends through the arcuate slot 28 in bracket portion 25, through the slot 19, and into a tapped hole in the rear piece 20.

The structure just described provides a very effective support for the shelf 18, being easily adjustable both as to vertical position and as to the angle of tilt. The bolt 26 need not be so tight as to clamp the pieces 20 and j 21 against vertical movement. When the operator have beenmade, the knurled bolt 27 may be tightened and the shelf thus fixed in its adjusted position.

Referring again to FIG. 1 of the drawings, our improved structure includes a guide piece 30 which has a bracket 31 having a depending portion which is secured to the backside of member 17.

Piece 30, as illustrated, is a horizontal plate having a recess 32 the mouth 33 of this recess being open to the front side of the piece 30. The outline of recess 32 is generally circular but for reasons later to be explained may be substantially fiat on its side 32a and curved on its other side 32b to form a nook for gathering the film of the upper partof the bag more closely therein.

The table 40 is carried on top of frame 10, and bars 41 are mounted on this table. A carriage 43 is slidably carried on bars 41, and a clipper device 44 is carried on the carriage 43. The clipper device may be purchased from any one of several commercial sources such as the D-Mar Company, lnc., of Los Angeles, Calif., or the Tipper Tie Company of San Leandro, Calif. This clipper device is designed when moved forwardly with carriage 43 and actuated, to place a metal clip about the neck of the filled bag. After the clip has been placed, this clipper unit then may move back along with carriage 43 until another bag is brought forth for closing.

OPERATION Prior to beginning operation the shelf 18 may be adjusted as to vertical position and angle of tilt as previously explained. A factor involved in this adjustment is the size of bag, particularly the length, so that the open ber '17. The upper part of the bag which is above the product in the bag, is then passed forwardly through mouth 33 and into the recess 32 of the guide piece 30, and then brings the open end of the bag upwardly about the lower end of nozzle A, placing the film about the skirt 13.

The collar 14 is then brought down so that the internal surface of the collar clamps the film against the skirt 13 of the nozzle. This clamping action is preferably automatic as described in patent application Ser. No. 265,239, but may also be manual. The vacuum is then turned on and air is drawn from the bag to the opening in pipe 12 at the bottom of the nozzle and upwardly through the nozzle to the source of the vacuum. Drawing of the vacuum brings the film tightly about the product and also pulls together the film which is gathered within recess 32.

After vacuum is applied the carriage 43 may be brought forward and the clipper actuated to bind the,

neck portion of the bag with a metal clip and then cut off the bag end above the clip, after which the carriage may be moved back. We prefer to have the movement of the carriage and the operation of the clipper and cutter unit controlled automatically as is set forth in patent application Ser. No. 265,239, but this also may be hand operated.

The arm 45 of the clipper swings around to engage the neck of the bag which is adjacent the flat side 32a of recess 32 and moves the bag neck into the nook 32b on the other side of the recess and this further serves to confine the film.

Should there be any slippage of the filled bag which would tend to move the film to one side and across the bottom of the nozzle, the sides of the recess 32 will restrain any such side movement of the film with respect to the nozzle, and should the vacuum tend to raise the bag and its contents to bring the film into the bottom of the nozzle the guide plate 30 will restrain the contents of the bag and prevent the contents from raising above this plate.

Following the clipping and cutting operation and the release of the vacuum, the collar 14. may be raised and the severed tip of the bag removed.

While we have illustrated and described in detail only one embodiment of our invention, it will be understood that many modifications may be constructed and many variations and changes are possible, all within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A machine for closing bags under vacuum comprising a frame, a downwardly extending nozzle carried in said frame, means for drawing a vacuum at the lower end of said nozzle, a shelf for supporting said bag and contents thereof in position below said nozzle with the upper end of said bag about said nozzle, a bracket fixed to said shelf having a downwardly extending portion, means including a pivot bolt having its axis extending from the front to the back of the machine for securing said portion to said frame, said bracket being tiltable about the axis of said bolt to tilt said shelf angularly about said axis.

2. A machine as set forth in claim 1 in which said frame has a vertical slot engaged by said pivot bolt, said bracket and shelf being adjustable by moving said pivot bolt up or down within said slotrespectively to raise'or lower said shelf. 1

3. A machine for closing bags under vacuum comprising a frame, a downwardly extending nozzle carried in said frame for drawing a vacuum at the lower end of said nozzle, a shelf for supporting said bag and contents thereof in position below said nozzle with the upper end of said bag about said nozzle, a member secured to said frame and containing a vertical slot, means engaging said slot and slidable there-along for releaseably securing said shelf to said member, said means including a pair of plates one of which is on one side of said member and the other of which is on the other side of said member, one of said plates having a ridge engaging said slot, a clamping bolt extending through one of said plates and through. said slot into threaded engagement with the other of said plates whereby when said bolt is tightened said plates are clamped at one position along said slot, and a bracket secured to one of said plates and supporting said shelf, said means including a pivot bolt extending through one of said plates through said slot and into the other of said plates and wherein one of said plates has an arcuate slot therein, said clamping bolt extending through said arcuate slot whereby when said clamping bolt is released said shelf and bracket may turn about said pivot bolt to a selected tilt position and when said clamping bolt is tightened said shelf and bracket are clamped in said position.

4. A machine for closing bags under vacuum conprising a stationary frame, a downwardly extending nozzle said frame and positioned to support the closed end of a bag below said nozzle with the upper open end of said bag extending upwardly and about said nozzle, and a horizontal guide plate carried by said frame below said nozzle and having a recess therein for receiving the neck portion of said bag so as to hold said bag against falling to one side and to restrain said bag against interference with said nozzle when a vacuum is drawn by said vacuum means, said support means being adjust able so as to provide support for said shelf at positions having different angles of tilt about a horizontal axis which extends longitudinally from front to back of the machine. 5. A machine for closing bags under vacuum comprising a stationary frame, a downwardly extending nozzle carried in said frame, means for drawing a vacuum at the lower end of said nozzle, support means carried by said frame and positioned to support the closed end of a bag below said nozzle with the upper end of said bag extending upwardly and about said nozzle, and a horizontal guide plate carried by said frame below said nozzle and having a recess therein for receiving the neck portion of said bag so as to hold said bag against falling to one side'and to restrain said bag against interference with said nozzle when a vacuum is drawn by said vacuum means, said recess having its opening at the front side of said plate, said recess being curved on one side to provide a nook for gathering the neck of the bag and including means moveable from one side of said recess for moving the neck of the bag into said nook at said one side of said recess.

6. A machine as set forth in claim 5 wherein said recess is flat on the other side of said recess whereby the area of said recess is confined.

7. A machine for closing bags under vacuum comprising a stationary frame, a downwardly extending nozzle carried in said frame, means for drawing a vacuum at the lower end of said nozzle, a vertical back plate carried by said frame against which the back side of said bag may rest, support means carried by said back plate for supporting the bottom of said bag, a horizontal guide plate which is secure with said back plate and disposed forwardly thereof, said plate having a recess therein which opens at the front side of said plate, said means being positioned to support the bottom of the bag while permitting the neck. portion of the bag to enter said recess and the open top end of the bag engaged about the lower end of said nozzle, said recess plate being effective for holding said bag against falling to one side while said back plate holds said bag from tipping to the rear of the machine.

8. A machine as set forth in claim 7 wherein the opening of said recess is constricted to a breadth which is narrower than the breadth of the recess at its interior whereby said plate is effective to hold said bag against falling forwardly of the machine. 

1. A machine for closing bags under vacuum comprising a frame, a downwardly extending nozzle carried in said frame, means for drawing a vacuum at the lower end of said nozzle, a shelf for supporting said bag and contents thereof in position below said nozzle with the upper end of said bag about said nozzle, a bracket fixed to said shelf having a downwardly extending portion, means including a pivot bolt having its axis extending from the front to the back of the machine for securing said portion to said frame, said bracket being tiltable about the axis of said bolt to tilt said shelf angularly about said axis.
 2. A machine as set forth in claim 1 in which said frame has a vertical slot engaged by said pivot bolt, said bracket and shelf being adjustable by moving said pivot bolt up or down within said slot respectively to raise or lower said shelf.
 3. A machine for closing bags under vacuum comprising a frame, a downwardly extending nozzle carried in said frame for drawing a vacuum at the lower end of said nozzle, a shelf for supporting said bag and contents thereof in position below said nozzle with the upper end of said bag about said nozzle, a member secured to said frame and containing a vertical slot, means engaging said slot and slidable there-along for releaseably securing said shelf to said member, said means including a pair of plates one of which is on one side of said member and the other of which is on the other side of said member, one of said plates having a ridge engaging said slot, a clamping bolt extending through one of said plates and through said slot into threaded engagement with the other of said plates whereby when said bolt is tightened said plates are clamped at one position along said slot, and a bracket secured to one of said plates and supporting said shelf, said means including a pivot bolt extending through one of said plates through said slot and into the other of said plates and wherein one of said plates has an arcuate slot therein, said clamping bolt extending through said arcuate slot whereby when said clamping bolt is released said shelf and bracket may turn about said pivot bolt to a selected tilt position and when said clamping bolt is tightened said shelf and bracket are clamped in said position.
 4. A machine for closing bags under vacuum conprising a stationary frame, a downwardly extending nozzle carried in said frame, means for drawing a vacuum at the lower end of said nozzle, support means carried by said frame and positioned to support the closed end of a bag below said nozzle with the upper open end of said bag extending upwardly and about said nozzle, and a horizontal guide plate carried by said frame below said nozzle and having a recess therein for receiving the neck portion of said bag so as to hold said bag against falling to one side and to restrain said bag against interference with said nozzle when a vacuum is drawn by said vacuum means, said support means being adjustable so as to provide support for said shelf at positions having different angles of tilt about a horizontal axis which extends longitudinally from front to back of the machine.
 5. A machine for closing bags under vacuum comprising a stationary frame, a downwardly extending nozzle carried in said frame, means for drawing a vacuum at the lower end of said nozzle, support means carried by said frame and positioned to support the closed end of a bag below said nozzle with the upper end of said bag extending upwardly and about said nozzle, and a horizontal guide plate carried by said frame below said nozzle and having a recess therein for receiving the neck portion of said bag so as to hold said bag against falling to one side and to restrain said bag against interference with said nozzle when a vacuum is drawn by said vacuum means, said recess having its opening at the front side of said plate, said recess being curved on one side to provide a noOk for gathering the neck of the bag and including means moveable from one side of said recess for moving the neck of the bag into said nook at said one side of said recess.
 6. A machine as set forth in claim 5 wherein said recess is flat on the other side of said recess whereby the area of said recess is confined.
 7. A machine for closing bags under vacuum comprising a stationary frame, a downwardly extending nozzle carried in said frame, means for drawing a vacuum at the lower end of said nozzle, a vertical back plate carried by said frame against which the back side of said bag may rest, support means carried by said back plate for supporting the bottom of said bag, a horizontal guide plate which is secure with said back plate and disposed forwardly thereof, said plate having a recess therein which opens at the front side of said plate, said means being positioned to support the bottom of the bag while permitting the neck portion of the bag to enter said recess and the open top end of the bag engaged about the lower end of said nozzle, said recess plate being effective for holding said bag against falling to one side while said back plate holds said bag from tipping to the rear of the machine.
 8. A machine as set forth in claim 7 wherein the opening of said recess is constricted to a breadth which is narrower than the breadth of the recess at its interior whereby said plate is effective to hold said bag against falling forwardly of the machine. 